Pads and rotors for track (HPDE) use?

[ssmike]

Originally Posted by TBone

Listen to the wise ones here Mike.

HPS is decent for Autocross but not a "Track". It just can't stand up for long periods. Especially once you start going to larger tracks.

Hawk DCT-XX are tough on rotors but good.

Carbotech is easier on rotors and good intermediate pads.

Cobalt Friction is excellent for the big dogs.

If you already have rotors, use them but watch them for cracks. Once they crack, get better ones.

T.

Thanks T good advise!

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by TBone

Listen to the wise ones here Mike.

HPS is decent for Autocross but not a "Track". It just can't stand up for long periods. Especially once you start going to larger tracks.

Hawk DCT-XX are tough on rotors but good.

Carbotech is easier on rotors and good intermediate pads.

Cobalt Friction is excellent for the big dogs.

If you already have rotors, use them but watch them for cracks. Once they crack, get better ones.

T.

All this ↑↑↑ .

HPS can probably work at a track day on a track that's easy on brakes and if the driver remains conscious of the fact that it's still a street pad.

A step up in the Hawk line would be the HP+, which are entry-level track pads with a semblance of streetability (meaning that they actually do have decent cold bite). They will make noise and they will dust like crazy just like any other track pad. Expect to outgrow these as well, as your skills improve and your speeds increase (yes, they can be faded).


Norm

[toehead93]

Would you guys be happier with stock rotors and pads for street and Cobalt Friction pads for track days or CTS-V stock rotors and pads for street and track? I am planning on upgrading to CTS-V pads when my 1LE comes in but it is stretching what I'm willing to spend on brakes. Both options will cost me close to the exact same amount of money.

I will definitely run a few autoX and a few PDX events, one at Daytona and possibly 2 at Sebring (1 club & 1 full course). My local track PBIR may start a new program for cheap track time once a month.

I ran Hawk HP+ with RB rotors, braided lines at Daytona no problems. At the Sebring Club course I was fine for 119 minutes and 57 seconds of the (4) 20 minute sessions. Literally the brakes went on me as I was pulling off the track, the club course ends with a big stop from 120mph to a sharp hairpin turn. Too noisy for me on the street though, they never stopped squealing and screeching.

[Doc]

Since you already have RB rotors, stick with those and use their XT910 or XT960 track pads. I've been using their ET500 pads for a couple years now and that includes track days. These were all they had at the time but these pads have held up very well; worked on the track (although they were dusty) without squeal. They now have their actual track pads which are the XT series and I'm planning on probably going XT960 fronts and keep the ET500 on the rear for track. The ET500 has been a great street pad; no noise and minimal dust.

[JOHNSONROD]

please dont waste your money on HPS. stock pads are better than HPS. go HP plus at least. HP Plus would be a compromise that you could run for both. they squeal and they make dust but they stop decent and they wont wear your rotors bad so that you can run them on the street.
since you are on a budget, id say just get some HP plus pads for the front. make sure you have hi temp fluid in there and bleed before every event. i dont know those rotors that you are running but if they are slotted all the way through then id guess that freshly turned stock rotors would probably be better.
ceramic pads are for a Bentley. as someone else said. if they stop, then they will squeal and make dust.

[Mikamaro]

I'm in the same boat with all of you track guys, pads or rotors; that is the question!
This year I've budgeted $600 for front rotors & pads replacements.
600 miles of track later, I’ve replaced 2 set of front pads and 2 pair of front rotors.
Unless you dish out $$$ to get the best 2-Piece rotors available like RB, DBA, PFC… rotors will have to be replace. (often)
The OEM Rotors are good, if you warped them (lightly) you can resurface them and used them for quite some time after.
The second set this year was EBC slotted with dimples which are less sturdy them the OEM.

The OEM pads are good for light track duty at a beginner level.
Once you decide to attack corner while trail breaking they will overhead and burn. When That happens, you warp your rotors at the same time.
My second set of pad this year is un mentioned on this forum..yet…PFC Z-rated pads.
I very happy with their track performance since they are more of a track pad then a street pad. More info on them here:http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307038

The good news is that I'm still running on my OEM Rear rotors & pads!! wow...33K miles with more than 2K of track time. Impressive or not?
Why aren't they used more?

[Bruce@raymondsperformance]

Originally Posted by toehead93

Would you guys be happier with stock rotors and pads for street and Cobalt Friction pads for track days or CTS-V stock rotors and pads for street and track? I am planning on upgrading to CTS-V pads when my 1LE comes in but it is stretching what I'm willing to spend on brakes. Both options will cost me close to the exact same amount of money.

I will definitely run a few autoX and a few PDX events, one at Daytona and possibly 2 at Sebring (1 club & 1 full course). My local track PBIR may start a new program for cheap track time once a month.

I ran Hawk HP+ with RB rotors, braided lines at Daytona no problems. At the Sebring Club course I was fine for 119 minutes and 57 seconds of the (4) 20 minute sessions. Literally the brakes went on me as I was pulling off the track, the club course ends with a big stop from 120mph to a sharp hairpin turn. Too noisy for me on the street though, they never stopped squealing and screeching.

We have been using our slotted stock CTSV rotors with Hawk DTC -30 pads for the last two years one set on our 2010 SS camaro and our 2013 1LE. they work very well for track use.We also use Colbalt friction for heavy road racing they are very good,expensive and dirty but they stop very well.We also use SRF brake fluid in all of the cars we track at $80.00 a qt it is expensive but much cheaper than brake fade at the wrong place.

[TBone]

2 years of street and Heavy track use and my DBA 4000's finally gave up in spectacular fashion.



I used these on the street with the Carbotech Bobcat pads and on the track with Carbotech XP12's the first year and Cobalt Friction XR-1's this year. They never warped and always performed as expected. I loved them and they will be missed.....

As others have mentioned, I highly recommend the Cobalt Friction Pads. Not only do they work FANTASTICALLY on the track but their customer service is awesome. If you have not tried them yet please do, you will not be sorry.

I am now looking at the ROI of 6 pot CTSV/ZL1 front brakes or the Z/28. Since I basically use my car at the track more than the street, or getting to the track, it kinda makes sense to me.


T.

[ssmike]

Holy crap Tim! Looks like you're really pushing the car to it's limits! Pete will be proud!

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by toehead93

Would you guys be happier with stock rotors and pads for street and Cobalt Friction pads for track days or CTS-V stock rotors and pads for street and track? I am planning on upgrading to CTS-V pads when my 1LE comes in but it is stretching what I'm willing to spend on brakes. Both options will cost me close to the exact same amount of money.

I will definitely run a few autoX and a few PDX events, one at Daytona and possibly 2 at Sebring (1 club & 1 full course). My local track PBIR may start a new program for cheap track time once a month.

I ran Hawk HP+ with RB rotors, braided lines at Daytona no problems. At the Sebring Club course I was fine for 119 minutes and 57 seconds of the (4) 20 minute sessions. Literally the brakes went on me as I was pulling off the track, the club course ends with a big stop from 120mph to a sharp hairpin turn. Too noisy for me on the street though, they never stopped squealing and screeching.

What happened when your brakes went? Did you boil the fluid and got a soft pedal, or did you overheat the pads and got a hard pedal? I tracked Corvettes at Ron Fellows school and boiled the fluid on three seperate sessions in the Grand Sports. Yikes, pedal to the floor but no stopping! Scary. The ZR1 CCBs and Z06 steel brakes were awesome. The Z06s ran Hawk HP+, the school has had excellent luck with them. They are in the process of converting all the Grand Sports and Z06s to HP+ pads.

I ran HP+ pads, stock rotors, Motul 600 fluid and stainless lines in my Camaro last weekend at Buttonwillow. Stopped fantastic, rotors are healthy. I'm hard on brakes, I was running 2:02's and 2:03's in the advanced group which is fairly quick for that track. The HP+ pads will last me 4 track days. I'm going to use them again. They have excellent cold bite and have not made any noise on the street yet. When I run Laguna Seca, I may step up to a more aggressive track pad. But so far the HP+ pads have been an excellent choice.

[ssmike]

Well after reading all the posts I think the smart thing for me to do is to install the stock rotors back on and ditch the drilled ones! For my style of driving, that being novice, I have decided to go with HP+ pads with the stock rotors and calipers, and Motul 600 fluid. Next year as I graduate to intermediate driving I'll definatly invest in CTS-V upgrade for the front and maybe Cobalt Friction pads like TBone runs! This way I can have time to save some mod money and still participate in a couple HPDE's now, well after winter anyway!

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by ssmike

Well after reading all the posts I think the smart thing for me to do is to install the stock rotors back on and ditch the drilled ones! For my style of driving, that being novice, I have decided to go with HP+ pads with the stock rotors and calipers, and Motul 600 fluid. Next year as I graduate to intermediate driving I'll definatly invest in CTS-V upgrade for the front and maybe Cobalt Friction pads like TBone runs! This way I can have time to save some mod money and still participate in a couple HPDE's now, well after winter anyway!

Good plan. The stock brakes are surprisingly good when used with the HP+ pads. The HP+ are very rotor friendly and the pads are inexpensive compared to some of the others. Keep us posted!

[SPCBA]

really cant recommend any hawk pads for any type of track driving. to many horror stories including mine have been all over this forum. they just dont have the heat range needed. sucks to have a pad disintegrate in a hard braking zone.

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by SPCBA

really cant recommend any hawk pads for any type of track driving. to many horror stories including mine have been all over this forum. they just dont have the heat range needed. sucks to have a pad disintegrate in a hard braking zone.

Yikes, can you share a link to a thread to shed some light on this?